McCullum gives up wicket-keeping in Tests

Brendon McCullum has announced that he will stop wicket-keeping for New Zealand in Test matches but added that he would continue his role as a stumper for the Black-Caps in ODIs and Twenty20 cricket.

McCullum mentioned that it was a decision that he had put a lot of thought into before making up his mind.

"I have talked to a lot of people about how they went about extending their international careers, including some prominent former and current wicketkeepers," said McCullum.

"I am passionate about playing for the Black-Caps and by limiting my keeping to the shorter forms of the game it increases my chances of prolonging my career," he added.

Geoff Allott, General Manager of Cricket for New Zealand Cricket, said it was a good news for the team despite the fact that McCullum would no longer continue as a wicket-keeper.

"Brendon enjoys the challenge of test cricket and has been a strong performer for New Zealand as keeper over a significant period of time."

"While his glove work will be missed, we understand and support his decision to focus his attention on scoring runs at test level, and his objective to play on the international cricket stage for as long as possible. It is great to know he will continue to keep wickets in limited overs cricket," said Allot.

"We need to work with players such as Brendon to ensure they stay fit and available for selection, with particular attention paid to those with heavy playing schedules," Allott added.

New Zealand coach Mark Greatbach said the selectors understood McCullum's decision. "Brendon has stated he wants to play cricket for New Zealand for as long as possible and that is really encouraging. I know he has had trouble with injuries that are related to keeping, and therefore understand his decision to stop keeping in Test Cricket."

"He is a really talented player and we want him to be part of the Black-Caps' set-up for a long time to come. But Brendon clearly understands he will only be considered as a Test batsman on his long-form batting performances," Greatbatch said.